


it takes two to tango

by witchboys



Series: reading between the heartlines [2]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, assistant!minho, manhwa author!jisung, truly the most meta bl plot about a bl plot that i could ever write for myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:33:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25609681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchboys/pseuds/witchboys
Summary: han jisung is the very definition of a struggling artist and a romantic disaster, which is not exactly the most ideal combination -- especially when you write boys’ love stories for a living
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Series: reading between the heartlines [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828738
Comments: 50
Kudos: 203





	1. Chapter 1

Some things are just not meant to be.

Like aluminum foil and microwaves or sharks and tornadoes, there are strict laws of nature that bind the universe that simply can’t be broken -- one of which includes Han Jisung and his ability to have a successful manhwa.

Even after his constant laborious dedication to the craft that’s propelled by endless nights and the perpetual anxiety of missing deadlines, he has still yet to hit it big with his series. 

It’s not to say that he’s a complete failure though. He certainly has had his fair share of accomplishments at the age of 26 and slightly over a year of work experience under his belt. He’s cultivated a slow but steady readership, as well as gaining author recognition in official online polls. However, compared to others in his company who are megastar legends, his popularity is quite modest at best.

Fame isn’t everything -- he knows this, but  _ Sunshine _ has a special place in his heart for being the first Boys’ Love and licensed story that he’s ever written. Being picked up by his editor at TapToon after he had entered a webcomic contest last May, he is entirely devoted to his work and aches with the desire to let himself be heard above the oversaturated sea of voices. 

Hunched a little bit closer, he squints at his computer monitor in deep concentration as he picks out the correct shade for a character’s outfit while his mind wanders off-track:  _ Can I finish this special cover page in time for the Halloween special? Is Mr. Yoon gonna kill me if I ask for another extension? The storyboarding for Chapter 52 isn’t even done yet. I should’ve eaten a bigger breakfast earlier this morning, but I ran out of bread so all I had was a hardboiled egg. I can’t-- _

“Hey, maybe don’t try to kill your eyesight by doing that? Your face is practically touching the screen at this rate.”

Startled out of his thoughts, Jisung looks over his computer and meets a concerned gaze from across his desk. “Sorry, I didn’t realize that,” he says sheepishly. “Thanks, Minho.”

“No problem.” Minho glances back down at his own monitor, swiping a stylus pen across his tablet as he resumes his task. “We can’t afford you losing your vision on top of your bad hearing too.”

Jisung scowls. “Hey! It’s not that bad! And how was I supposed to hear you over the phone when I was at the train station platform during rush hour? That’s why I always tell you to text me instead!”

“You really left me standing out there in the cold for fifteen minutes when all I wanted was to get to my shift earlier and be blessed by your lovely face.” Minho places a hand on his chest in faux distress. “I can’t believe you’d abandon me like that.”

“Well, who told you to forget your keys that day and wait outside the apartment in the rain when you could’ve stayed perfectly dry underneath the awning! I treated you to a hamburger to make up for it, didn’t I?” Jisung grumbles. “If you’re such a dutiful assistant, quit complaining and get back to work. Those panels aren’t gonna color themselves.”

“Yes, yes,” Minho says with a hint of a smirk. “Always at your service, boss.” 

Although Jisung isn’t actually in charge of doling out his salary or handling his personal employment documentations, he  _ was _ the one who reached out to Lee Minho first and got him hired as his assistant. As a former high school classmate who was two years his senior and shared a common history of participating in the same film club, it was an uncomplicated decision for Jisung to make. Especially when he needed to find a person who he could get along with and was reliable -- which is quite difficult for someone as painfully shy and timid around strangers as Jisung is. 

On a particular night at the height of this past summer, he was on his weekly grocery run at the local convenience store when he bumped into Minho in one of the snack aisles. While sitting on a bench at a nearby park and catching each other up on their current whereabouts, Jisung discovered that Minho was in desperate need of work after being laid off from his previous position at a concert venue when the owner abruptly packed their bags to move back to Australia. 

Being a person that he was already on friendly terms with and having graduated university as an architecture major with a basic knowledge of digital art, he was truly the optimal candidate that Jisung had been searching for himself for so long. 

Blurting out his proposal in the middle of the evening heat as the moon shone brightly above them, Minho accepted his job offer without a moment’s hesitation and the rest is history. 

Jisung is still amazed by how quickly Minho adapted to his role of being a manhwa assistant for the past five months since they’ve begun working with one another. Everything from the technical aspects, such as drawing the backgrounds for the webcomic, to the more practical ones, such as helping him buy refill art supplies when he can’t leave the house to get them himself -- Jisung’s life has exponentially improved by tenfold after serendipitously crossing paths with Minho again. 

They may bicker and argue, and are still navigating the bumps of their relationship being that they had only exchanged a handful of casual conversations over the course of one year during high school.

But if you were to ask Jisung, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Oh, by the way, can you buy bread when you go shopping? I’m out of food in the pantry and I can't sustain myself on just eggs anymore.”

“Got it, boss. I’ll go ahead and pick up a bottle of dish soap too.”

“Okay, sounds good... And please stop calling me that.”

***

Clenched fists and a leg nervously bobbing up and down, Jisung fidgets in his seat at the dining room table as his editor sits opposite of him while flipping through his latest manuscript with an ever-present impassive face. 

It’s Monday, which means it’s the start of a new work week. Rough drafts at the beginning, lineart and coloring in the middle, and final revisions at the end for postings every Friday -- he works virtually nonstop from the time he wakes up to the time that he goes to sleep. He does schedule himself breaks throughout the weekday and rests on the weekends to recharge or run errands. Otherwise, he is focused solely on his art and cranking out chapters at an inhuman speed with the amount of pages he produces per update.

Being a paid, full-time manhwa author is a commitment he made being entirely aware of the fact that it was hard work. He loves what he does and  _ Sunshine _ \-- following the escapades of a foreign prince who is whisked away to present day Seoul via magic and ends up rooming with a penniless musician -- is a piece that he is immensely proud of.

He’s just not sure if other people see it that way.

“I’ve been noticing for awhile now that there has been a huge emphasis on sex in this series, which is fine. However, I’m getting detracted from the core of the story because of how much dick there is.” Mr. Yoon pauses to straighten up his glasses. “The dicks are drawn great though.”

“Um, thank you,” Jisung says while blushing profusely. 

“I would suggest reexamining your series from a larger perspective. Reevaluate the themes, the motivations of your characters, and how their dynamic comes into play.” Mr. Yoon slides the manuscript back to him across the table and takes a sip of coffee from his thermos. “I’m your editor and I’m here to guide you in the right direction, but I ultimately don’t want to make these choices for you and change the story against your wishes or artistic vision.”

Jisung nods carefully. “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you.”

“I also understand that it’s your first time working in the BL genre and that there are many stereotypical tropes attached with it. Despite this, you can afford to expand on the emotional aspects of Sonam and Sooheung’s relationship to find a balance with the explicit themes for a more compelling story that keeps the readers engaged. I look forward to seeing how you’ll showcase the sentimentality that you had conveyed in the beginning of the series, Han-nim.”

After bidding his editor farewell, Jisung clutches his papers to his chest and lets out a shaky exhale. What Mr. Yoon had said to him was right and he definitely will take his advice into consideration. It’s just tougher for someone like him who not only has a nervous personality, but has absolutely no prior experience in love as well. Never having received a single confession or had anything remotely close to a romantic relationship, all of the current character and plot developments in  _ Sunshine _ have been purely based off of the films and dramas that he enthusiastically consumes.

It’s honestly a miracle how he landed a job in this genre and lasted as long as he did.

While agonizing over the latest obstacle that has cropped up and looms before him, the doorknob jiggles at the front and soon Minho is barreling through the entryway none too gracefully with bulking large shopping bags clutched in either of his hands.

“The store ran out of the pen nibs you wanted. I asked a staff member to recommend another brand, so hopefully it’s alright. If not, their return policy says that I can bring it back as long as I have the original receipt and, oh--” Minho stops to look up at him while wiggling out of his shoes. “You good?” 

Jisung can’t keep the troubled expression off of his face and says in a small voice, “I don’t know what to do.”

Minho swiftly places the bags on the ground and is instantly by his side with a steady hand on his back. “The meeting was pretty rough, huh? What did Dowoon say?”

“It’s ‘Mr. Yoon’ to you,” Jisung sniffs. “And it’s what I’ve been worried about ever since launching this series. He mentioned that there aren’t enough romantic elements in the story and I hate to admit it that it’s true, but… You know?”

“Uh, sorry. I don’t know.”

Jisung covers his face with his hands, his cheeks flaring up underneath his fingers. “I never dated anybody, so I have no clue how to portray anything super realistic. Like… Maybe working in this industry was a mistake.”

“Hey, hey, hey. Cut that self-deprecating crap out,” Minho frowns. “You worked hard to get where you are and you obviously got hired because you earned it. And obviously Mr. Yoon still has faith in you because he’s still supporting you and your series. Maybe all you have to do is conduct your research differently.”

“But how! I read so many romance novels and watch so many television shows, but I need to know the real thing! And--” Jisung suddenly gasps. “Wait, that’s it.” 

Grabbing ahold of Minho’s arm with a fast grip, his eyes are blown wide as he says, “I need to date someone.”

Minho just gives him a funny look. 

“Okay…” he says slowly. “And where exactly are you going to -- Hold on. Are you suggesting--”

“You!” Jisung yells as he shakes him a bit wildly now. “It’s perfect! I mean, you’re already here! Since I only need to experience what a date feels like, I don’t have to find a stranger who might get the wrong impression about what I’m doing if they think I’m trying to hook up with them in the end. Oh, but wait -- Maybe this isn’t such a good idea? I didn’t even ask you for your permission yet and god, I’m--” 

“Sure, why not.” Minho shrugs. “I’m still getting paid for working on the clock.”

Jisung could almost burst into tears with relief after hearing him say that, but he refrains from crying to prevent his frames from getting smudged with tears. “You’re the best assistant I could’ve ever asked for. Seriously, thanks.”

Minho pats the top of his head and laughs. “I did always say that I was at your service.”

***

Exiting out of the train station, the streets are still bustling with crowds of people despite it being a Thursday morning. It’s unusually warm out considering it’s currently mid-October, but Jisung basks in the afternoon sun as he stands by a florist stall and checks his phone while a pleasant breeze gently ruffles his overgrown hair. 

He swipes into his messaging app and sees that there are no new texts. Worrying his lip and wondering if he had given out the wrong directions, he hears his name being shouted from the distance and is gifted by the sight of a flushed Minho jogging towards him when he turns around.

“Sorry that I’m late. I was helping an old lady cross a busy intersection.”

“It’s okay, I just got here too. Plus, this is perfect inspiration for a possible scenario in a future chapter,” Jisung says with sparkling eyes as he promptly whips out a pen and a journal pad hidden inside of his hoodie to jot down some notes on the lined paper. 

Minho rolls his eyes and takes him by the hand once he’s finished. “Alright, lead the way because I literally have no idea where we’re going.” 

Having spent the previous night compiling a comprehensive list of destinations to visit, Jisung is fully prepared for his observation study. Hitting up a hobby shop to admire the rows of glass cases carrying anime figurines, playing countless rounds of games at a VR arcade, relaxing for a few hours at a comic book cafe while sipping on overpriced iced Americanos, trying their luck with capsule toy machines that are tucked away in a narrow alleyway -- he snaps photos left and right with his camera at every opportunity he can get for reference. 

It’s 7 p.m. by the time they’re walking out of the doors of one of their favorite fast food chains, after having indulged themselves with a deluxe special tonkatsu meal set, when Minho says, “Does this really count?”

Jisung pauses the virtual idol rhythm game that he’s currently tapping away at on his phone and looks up at him. “What do you mean?”

“Is this what your main characters really would’ve done if they went out on a date? I think besides eating at a cheap restaurant, I doubt a rich princely guy and a poor guitarist would do”--Minho gestures his hands wildly in the air for emphasis--”all of these nerdy things.” 

Scratching his head, Jisung searches through his memory and sighs. “Yeah, we kind of did everything that I liked without actually thinking about what my characters would realistically do together.” Stuffing his phone into his hoodie pocket, he burrows his face in his hands and groans. “I can’t believe I messed up this bad and on top of that, I totally wasted your time.”

Minho bumps their shoulders together as they pass underneath the fluorescent lights of street lamps and towards a quieter part of the neighborhood. “Don’t worry about it, Ji. I had fun -- seriously.”

Comforted by his comment, he regains some confidence and mentally vows to try harder next time when the two of them immediately stop in their tracks right as they encounter a stray cat roaming along a fence. Jisung peers through the viewfinder of his camera to take a series of action shots of Minho enticing the cat with a leafy stick and smiles to himself as he presses down on the shutter button. 

There are, at least, some happy moments from today.

*** 

They try again the following Wednesday, with Jisung combing through the internet and soaking in the array of blog posts on hot date spot recommendations. He is fueled with the determination to make this day better than the last and even goes as far as switching out his usual thick wire glasses for a pair of contacts to boost his morale.

When he sees Minho already waiting for him at the theater, he’s met with a handsome smile and the word “cute” being thrown at him. It’s not hard for Minho to be described as handsome though, with his slim face framed by pretty bowed lips and an elegantly arched nose. Jisung can’t help but feel like fraud when such a striking person compliments him like this, but it also doesn’t hurt to still hear them. 

The play is a lot more boring than predicted -- the plot struggling somewhere between a political satire and a tragedy -- and they quickly lose interest halfway through, slumped against each other as the dim lighting of the auditorium and droning monologues lull them both to sleep. 

Although it was a rather huge disappointment to wake up not really knowing what had transpired during the past three hours after staggering out of the theater, they have high hopes for the sushi restaurant that they saw raving reviews for and go on their merry way to enjoy a delicious meal.

Unfortunately, they did not expect the astronomical price tags that came along with their dinner and are stupefied when they receive a bill that is triple the amount they would typically pay for. Jisung scrambles to calculate the spending limit that’s left on his credit card, but Minho chivalrously pays for it first and proposes that he can return the favor by buying a milk tea. 

“I’ll get you your drink, but I’ll pay you back -- I promise!” Jisung swears to him while they wait in line at a boba shop. 

“Or better yet,” Minho says with a grin. “You can buy me fifty milk teas like a trade and barter system.”

“I think you'd die from a caffeine overload before you're able to drink all fifty milk teas, Minho...”

They end up taking the train back home, their apartments located in the same neighborhood within ten blocks of each other which has always made it incredibly convenient for Minho to come over for his shifts. Parting ways after Minho walks him back to his place, Jisung says his short-lived farewells as they’ll see each other tomorrow and gears up for a long night of work still ahead of him.

He stays up for a couple of hours to go over his batch of research notes that he had taken today, but unhappily finds that he had barely written anything constructive since he was knocked out unconscious for most of the date. He’s sure that he can brainstorm something useful though. Pushing his crumpled papers aside as he lays his head on the desk in a bout of frustration, he mumbles to himself that he’ll worry about this in the morning and convinces himself to get some rest. 

The doorbell rings close to 10:45 p.m. and Jisung, who’s busy washing up, is jolted from his spot at the bathroom sink.

Wondering who could be visiting him at this hour, he rushes out of the bathroom and flings open the door to see Minho standing right in front of him.

The first thing he notices is the state of his appearance, with his clothes disheveled and his normally tamed hair in complete disarray. He’s weighed down with a backpack strapped over his back and a duffel bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder -- nothing like the plain tote bag he had carried around earlier in the day. Jisung furrows his brow. “Back so soon? Did you forget your key again?” 

Minho simply stares back at him with a blank expression. “I don’t think I have a house anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lbr jisung would totally play love live and ensemble stars
> 
> getting to celebrate all of the webcomics that i love and throwing it out there in the universe through this series is a total dream for me !!
> 
> i already mentioned a favorite korean manhwa of mine in the first installment (in which said fic features “useless but hopeful lesbians” as accurately put by a reader AHAHAH) so this time around, i’ll rec a chinese manhua 'the story about you x me' by wangcaideju ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿


	2. Chapter 2

Ushering a distraught Minho inside, Jisung leads him into the living room and helps him unload his bags onto the ground. He fixes up a pot of chamomile tea and returns from the kitchen with two piping hot mugs on a tray, offering one to Minho who takes it graciously.

“What do you mean when you say that you lost your house?” he says as he sits down on the sofa next to him. 

“It’s exactly that. I arrived home to find out that the entire basement floor where I live was flooded because the water main broke. I was able to gather most of my things except the furniture since I never owned much to begin with, but my landlord didn’t give me an estimate of when she’d be able to fix it or when I could move back -- if I _can_ move back.” Minho shakes his head, still in shock and disbelief. “I saved my checking book and gift money that relatives have sent me, but I didn’t think I had to move out so soon since I’d been living there for less than a year.”

“Well, you can just crash here then. I can’t set up the studio anywhere else other than the guest room, but the living room is pretty spacious. I have an extra set of blankets and a pillow that you can use for the couch.” Jisung reaches for Minho’s trembling hand that lays open on his lap. He laces their fingers together and feels the coolness of Minho’s palm meet his smaller, warmer one. Smiling at him softly, he says, “You’re more than welcome to stay here for the time being while you find a new place. I don’t mind it at all.” 

Minho doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, he shuts his eyes and leans his head wearily on Jisung’s shoulder. Jisung can hear a whispered “Thank you” and he lightly squeezes Minho’s hand in return. 

***

The transition into their newfound lifestyle goes much more smoothly than expected. 

As Minho had stated, he truly had no other belongings that he had brought along with him besides his clothes, a bottle of allergy medication, and a battered up poetry book that he managed to grab before fleeing his old apartment. 

That same night, they had converted the living room into a makeshift bedroom by pushing the low coffee table off to the side of against a wall and organizing what little things he had in a hallway closet that was barely used. Jisung even ran out to buy some essentials at the convenience store, climbing back up the three flights of stairs of his complex with shampoo, a toothbrush, and a pack of underwear cradled precariously in his arms. 

Waking up the next morning was a bit awkward, only because Jisung had never lived with anybody else other than his own relatives at his family home in Incheon. After quietly tip-toeing around the apartment so as to not be a disturbance with their loud footsteps, they slowly warmed up to each other as they chatted about mundane things over a simple breakfast of milk and egg toast. Minho -- with his dark circles under his eyes and his messy bangs matted against his forehead -- still looked stunning in the light filtering in through the balcony that casted a golden glow on the fine features of his face, and Jisung’s heart swelled twice its size as he laughed over something that was said. 

It’s been three weeks of adjusting to their new normal and he can safely confirm that having a roommate is extraordinarily full with an abundance of perks. 

Splitting rent is nice, and getting to solve problems that arise on the job more efficiently with their constant and close proximity is a plus. However, it’s no doubt that the budding companionship he has with Minho is his favorite part of all. Growing more and more comfortable around one another, it’s been a thrill for Jisung to have somebody -- both on and off the job -- who can be so openly playful with him yet also being thoroughly understanding about his desire for alone time whenever he needs to.

They’ve certainly hung out together prior to their living situation, but it was mostly for work-related tasks and grabbing quick bites to eat while they were in the midst of jumping from place to place. There was never truly an instance in which they spent time together on their own accord.

Jisung tries to make sure to set clear boundaries about keeping their work lives and personal lives separate, especially now that those physical lines have been blurred with them living together under the same roof. But without them meaning to, they find themselves in each other’s orbit more often than not. Like Minho convincing Jisung to sneak up with him onto the apartment’s rooftop by enticing him with cans of beer and an array of snacks or Jisung begging Minho to play “just one more round” of a video game before the two of them proceed to battle it out until well past midnight -- they gravitate towards one another so naturally that it’s almost as if Minho has always been by his side.

They’re currently in the bathroom getting ready for bed after tiring themselves out from playing an intense racing game that lasted much longer than they had intended to. Brushing their teeth as they stand side by side, they make funny faces at each other in the mirror in attempts to force the other person to laugh so hard that they choke on their toothpaste. It’s all in good fun and not with actual murderous intent, of course. Jisung still needs an assistant, after all.

“Quit pushing me! That’s cheating!”

“Says the cheater who’s stepping on my toes, cheater.”

Jisung grinds his heel down harder on the tops of Minho’s feet, who in turn yelps out in pain. Splashing water from the sink at Jisung in retaliation, they both collapse into a fit of hysterical laughter as their voices ricochet against the dingy walls of the bathroom and Jisung distantly wonders if it’s wrong to feel thankful towards Minho’s unfortunate situation that allowed him to end up here in his tiny apartment like this. 

*** 

“There’s been a subtle change in atmosphere that’s made the tone more lighthearted and the characters more expressive over the past few chapters. The plot development has improved notably as well,” Mr. Yoon says to Jisung as they hold their regular bi-weekly meeting on a Thursday morning. 

Minho had left earlier to drop off packages at the postal office, having greeted Mr. Yoon politely as he exited the apartment. Jisung has met with his editor by himself plenty of times, but he’s more nervous than usual with the house feeling so empty without another familiar presence around. 

“I - I’ve been doing my research, so that’s probably why.”

Mr. Yoon raises a brow. “Research?”

“Yeah,” Jisung smiles brightly with a resurgence of confidence. “Minho’s been helping me.” 

Pausing, his editor looks down at the pages laid before him and studies it closely. Readjusting his frames, he says, “Ah, I see.” 

Pointing out at a series of panels, he continues, “It’s great to see that Sonam and Sooheung’s interactions are being explored with more depth, so I know that you have the potential to use a setting like this as a catalyst to continue evolving the romantic tension that will make the sex scenes between them even more gratifying. Nonetheless, Han-nim, I commend you for your conscientious efforts.”

Mr. Yoon mentions additional topics of discussion, such as a collective art book that he signed up Jisung to participate in. Giving an overview of the general timeline and submission date of his pieces, he leaves with Jisung feeling a mixed bag of emotions.

Minho eventually comes back home after 1 p.m. just as Jisung is busy preparing ramyeon in the kitchen and offers to make him a serving too.

“Thanks, Ji. My stomach was growling loud enough that it scared the clerk when I was waiting in line at the register.” He huffs out a laugh while pouring glasses of water for the both of them. “So how did your meeting go this time?”

“It’s getting better. Their relationship still doesn’t feel as realistic as how I want to portray it though.” Jisung frowns in concentration as he dumps a hefty amount of green onions and slices of cheese onto the boiling noodles. “I’ll need to fine-tune my research on how to evoke different feelings of romance.”

Minho nods thoughtfully in agreement. "I guess it's back to the drawing board, we go. Oh, and speaking of drawing boards... What color palette am I supposed to use for the panties on Page 8?"

Debating on different harness styles to go with their choice of the main character’s lingerie as they bring their lunches into the studio, a part of Jisung’s brain puzzles over how he’ll approach this uncharted territory of his story this time around. 

  
_At least_ , he thinks as he sketches his protagonist gazing forlornly out at the sunset from a balcony window while his royal lover stands besides him. _I’m not doing this alone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutouts to nishiyama koutaro for sharing on seiyuu radio about how he ended up living together with his voice acting senpai, eguchi takuya, from the same company which is by far the greatest story of all time and what inspired a central plot point HDJKFHKDSHF
> 
> also pls watch the subbed video of this on yt bc it's honestly so chaotic and it never fails to make me laugh


	3. Chapter 3

Jisung spends the whole weekend holed up in his bedroom, surrounded by towering piles of manga that line up against the off-white colored walls of the space. Completely engrossed in his endeavor, he leafs through the colossal stacks and takes great care in soaking in as much information as possible. 

After absorbing a plethora of enlightening source materials that he’s accumulated over the years, he finally conjures up the perfect plan. The pages of his notepad are filled with elaborate ideas on various scenarios that he wants to test out and study its romantic potential for. Plotting how he’ll carry it out effectively without Minho knowing is rather tricky, especially when they’re often within a 5-meter radius of each other. However, he has devised numerous phases to be scattered throughout the week so that Minho can’t possibly pinpoint his next move.

Jisung sleeps well that Sunday night, satisfied and buzzing with excitement of how the following days will unfold.

***

Monday brings them to the mall. They’re on a mission to buy a new rug for the living room after Minho had accidentally knocked over a can of cherry soda and spilled the drink everywhere on it last week. Jisung was barely upset when it happened though. The polyester fibers were worn down and fraying anyways, and it was about time he bought a replacement. 

Minho had even originally suggested that he’d go shopping by himself, considering Jisung’s stance of not mixing well with large crowds of people. But Jisung shook his head and insisted that he’d come with. Ever since Minho came back into his life, it’s allowed him to face these challenges more courageously -- if even for a short while. 

They inspect all of the designs and colors that the department store has to offer as they sort through the racks and racks of rugs hung up on display. It doesn’t take them too long to settle on a braided textured rug that Jisung is instantly bewitched by when he runs his fingers along the intricately woven fibers. Minho picks out the mossy green shade and they call the trip a success in less than an hour.

With so much time to check out the other stores after arranging a pick up time for the rug, Jisung seizes the opportunity to set his first phase into motion. 

As Minho walks ahead of him to go towards a clothing store with his arms dangling at his sides, he proceeds to charge from behind and shoves his hand into his so that their fingers interlock tightly together. Minho gets yanked backwards from the sudden movement, but Jisung -- unfazed by his floundering -- just peers up at him with glistening eyes and says, “Is your heart skipping a beat?”

“Um,” Minho answers once he regains his footing. “Not really? I’ve held hands with you plenty of times before. Also if my heart skipped a beat, wouldn’t it mean that I’m suffering from a cardiac arrest?”

Jisung mentally scolds himself for his foolishness and sulks. “Let’s just stay like this a little bit longer and see if anything changes.”

Minho complies, and they leisurely stroll into different stores for the better half of the afternoon as they remain intertwined. The grooves of Minho’s hand feel familiar as they’re clasped in his own, with Jisung being able to recognize the faint scar that runs along his index finger or even the slight crookedness of his pinky. 

Only a single complaint is made from Minho that Jisung’s palms are sweaty and gross, but he never actually lets go throughout the entire duration until they both arrive again at the department store and need to utilize every muscle available in their bodies to lug their purchase onto the bus to go back home. 

The living room is sparkling with its refreshing updated look when they eventually roll out the rug. The two of them flop down on it with an overwhelming relief that they managed to avoid giving anybody an accidental concussion while maneuvering it on public transport. 

Jisung watches the last of the sun rays move across the ceiling as Minho chatters on about maybe getting a new plant to further spruce up the space and hopes that next time will bring him a greater outcome.

***

Wednesday is a rare night in which Jisung and Minho are cooking in their apartment compared to their usual consumption of delivery food -- a night in which Jisung decides to carry out the second phase of his plan.

They’ve finished devouring their plates of meat jeon and kimchi jjigae that Minho had whipped up in a flash while Jisung observed in awe, and they now assume their regular positions of post-food coma clean up duty: Minho on washing and Jisung on drying. 

It always seemed fair to split household chores equally this way once they began cohabitating. They did have their occasional spats of course if things weren’t done in the correct way, but they were also quick to cool down after separating for some time. It wasn’t worth the energy to keep arguing when they could simply go back to cracking jokes at each other instead. 

Minho is fiercely scrubbing at a stubborn sauce stain, his arms deep in the sudsy waters, when Jisung puts down a dried plate. Shifting so that he’s standing directly behind Minho, Jisung contemplates how someone could still be so good-looking even at this angle for a brief moment before he goes in to give him a hug. 

Minho is taller than him by a fraction, so Jisung has to tip-toe in order to nestle his head in the crook of his shoulder as he says eagerly, “Do you feel anything for me now?”

Still preoccupied with getting rid of the discoloration on the pan, Minho mumbles, “Mmm, it’s kind of hard to clean when you’re holding me like this. Do you have something else that I can use?”

“Really? Is that all?” Jisung sighs before he slips away from Minho’s trimmed waist to rummage through the kitchen cabinets until he procures a new sponge. “Here you go.”

“Oh, thanks!” Minho shoots him a grin. “You’re a real lifesaver.” 

Seeing his face light up like that, Jisung can’t find the heart in him to be mad at the fact that Minho didn’t even realize what had just happened. He doesn’t want to brood in his failure anymore and takes this as another lesson to learn from. He does, however, land a solid kick at Minho’s ass as payback for his subpar reaction.

If they don’t receive a warning from their landlord after Minho hollers loudly in annoyance and threatens to throw him off of the building as he proceeds to chase him around the apartment, Jisung takes that as at least a win for tonight. 

***

Thursday calls for Minho to visit his doctor’s office for his yearly check-up. He loiters at the entryway and keeps making up excuses to stall his impending doom, but Jisung shoos him off so that he won’t be late to his appointment. 

Plus, he needs all the time that he can get to hatch his third phase. 

The plan is set in motion after several more hours when Jisung perks up to the sound of jingling keys and races from his spot in the studio to greet Minho at the doorway upon his entrance. 

“Wait, wh--”

Before Minho is able to shut the front door, Jisung musters up all of his strength to forcibly push him against the wall to aggressively mimic a classic kabedon move.

Unfortunately, Jisung trips on his own two feet and collides with Minho in the process, which causes the both of them to crash onto the hardwood floors. Jisung winces when he flattens his palms down during his fall in order to brace himself, while Minho lets out a louder groan from underneath him as his back slams painfully onto the ground.

The situation is not as ideal as Jisung would’ve liked it to be, but he’ll take what he can get as he wildly stares down at Minho and shouts, "Does this make you wanna kiss me when I do this to you?!" 

The question is left hanging as they both hear the creaking of footsteps approach them from the open doorway. 

“Pardon the intrusion, I decided to drop by with documents for the animated trailer pitch since I was in the area for a meeting and--” Mr. Yoon stops as he surveys the scene of Jisung and Minho’s somewhat compromising position on the floor. He bows. “My humblest apologies. I’ll leave just the file here for you on the table. I’ll see you on Monday, Han-nim.” 

He disappears in a blink of an eye and Jisung’s body feels the weight of defeat settle on him as he pulls himself and Minho up to stand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to push you that hard,” he mumbles guiltily.

“It’s okay. It’s not so bad.” Minho pauses before continuing, “Actually, now that I think about it, I might be kind of bruised.”

Jisung apologizes profusely and attempts to make up for it by rubbing soothing aloe gel on Minho’s back as they sit on Jisung’s bed. Minho waves it off, although he flinches when a rather sore spot is grazed. While he quickly turns around to reassure him that he’s completely fine, Jisung honestly can’t understand how he hasn’t gotten fed up with his antics yet and says, “How are you so nice to me?”

He’s met with a curious look. “Because you’re always nice to me,” Minho replies as though he’s discussing something as ordinary as the weather. “You gave me a job, let me crash at your place, call me out when I’m being a fucking prick, and tell me funny stories that always make me laugh. You make it easy to be nice to you.”

Jisung’s chest starts to feel stuffy and warm like how his bedroom gets when he doesn’t open up the windows or turn on the air conditioning in the apartment on a particularly hot day. A rising flush spreads across his cheeks and the tips of his ears are glowing red even though he clearly isn’t sick with a fever right now. Unsure as to why he suddenly can’t directly meet Minho’s gaze, his eyes dart away towards the ground. “Th-thanks.”

While curled up on his mattress that night, Jisung replays the same scene over and over in his head until his whole body heats up again in a slightly uncomfortable but ticklish way. Absentmindedly thinking of the way Minho’s slender fingers that are normally firmly grasped around a stylus pen would feel nicely against some other similarly shaped parts on himself, Jisung throws his covers off and shoots up from his bed sitting stiff-straight with a shocking revelation:  _ I think I’ve fallen in love with my assistant-roommate-friend. _

***

It’s serenely quiet the next morning in the studio. Minho is intently focused on the base coloring that he’s doing, whereas Jisung is staring vacantly at his computer monitor. If one were to examine closely, they would see his swollen eyes and pale complexion from a lack of sleep. After his rather rude awakening, Jisung found it difficult to fall asleep and ended up stumbling out of his bedroom in a daze when the early hour sunrise peeking through his curtains signaled to him the beginning of a new work day.

He’s straining to comprehend anything that’s going on outside of the metaphorical dumpster fire that is raging inside of his skull at the present. Minho seems to notice this when he catches a glimpse at the empty shell of a human being that is his author sitting across from him and says, “You okay, boss? Did you eat moldy food by accident again?”

Jisung listlessly meets his eyes, the world sounding simultaneously muffled yet claustrophobically blaring. His brain-to-mouth filter chooses to stop functioning as the words slowly tumble out without much thought: "I… I like... you."

Minho just tilts his head and gives him a kind smile. "Is this another one of your phases again?”

"Huh?" Jisung says, his voice laced with confusion.

“Oh, that was a good one! I almost fell for you right there. It sounded super genuine this time too,” Minho laughs before returning to his work.

If he wasn’t already so mortified and fatigued, Jisung would scream right now if he could. Instead, he just watches his computer cursor blink as it hovers over a random article and feels the stinging of fresh tears silently well up at the corner of his eyes. 

Like other laws of nature, maybe there were some things that existed better in fiction than in reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to changbin! im wishing you the happiest of birthdays today! i feel so blessed to exist in the same universe as you, with being able to watch you foster your endless amount of talents and grow into the person that you want to become. thank you for gifting my life with 730 days of pure joy and for being a shining light in my eyes ࿐°*˖✧


	4. Chapter 4

Jisung doesn’t know how he survives till the end of Friday other than by sheer willpower alone -- and also by the three large cans of energy drinks that he impulsively chugs over the span of eight hours while cramming in the final edits for his weekly update. 

He stays huddled under his blankets for all of Saturday, never leaving his bedroom for extended periods of time unless to use the bathroom or to sneak back food from the kitchen to munch on within the safety of his four walls. It’s not atypical of him to do so every now and then, with Jisung needing to keep to his own private space while Minho goes about entertaining himself with his own separate solo activities.

On Sunday, Minho extends an invitation to him that involves lazing on the veranda and enjoying the fair autumn weather. Jisung turns down the offer in favor of hunting down a special plastic model glue instead. He shoves a knitted beanie on his head and laces up his boots before he hurries out of the apartment to run his errand. 

It’s not a lie -- he really _does_ need the glue in order to build his miniature mecha robot collection. But truthfully, he just needs to give himself time to reflect on how he’ll cope with his prematurely stunted feelings after being basically rejected by a very obtuse and unaware Minho.

Internally mourning over why he had to end up in this catastrophic mess, he just happens to step off of the bus when he spots a familiar prim and proper figure chatting with a young woman on the other side of the road. He thinks his mind is playing tricks on him because he’s never seen such flamboyant casual fashion being worn in public before, but sure enough it’s Mr. Yoon in a neon floral-printed top with pinstripe shorts and a pair of pastel sandals donned on his feet. 

“Hey!” Jisung shouts as he sprints across the street and flails his arms about to grab his attention. “Hey, Mr. Yoon!” 

His editor stops in his tracks and looks over his shoulder to see an out-of-breath Jisung collapsed in front of him. “Han-nim,” he says with a surprised look. “What a coincidence to see you here.”

“I - I need your help,” Jisung says, still heaving from the sudden exertion of energy. 

Mr. Yoon turns to his companion -- a person who Jisung vaguely recognizes as another editor in the BL department after seeing her a couple of times at the TapToon headquarters -- and smoothly explains, “It seems that we’ll have to part ways here. I have a few things to discuss with my fellow colleague. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow, Seulgi.”

As she leaves with a friendly wave goodbye, Mr. Yoon faces Jisung again and says, “Let’s find another place to talk.”

They end up sitting down at an outdoor cafe, with Mr. Yoon ordering an iced tea while Jisung nurses a cup of hot chocolate. After a single sip, Mr. Yoon places his drink down on the table with a studious look. “How can I help?”

“I… I’m not sure.” Jisung wrings his hands together, struggling to form a coherent sentence. “I never experienced anything like this before. It feels too big for me to carry inside of me or to handle by myself and I don’t know who else to talk to about this… About how I like being around him, how he’s patient with me, how he listens to whatever I have to say without judging me, how he lets me be myself -- he’s probably the nicest person I will ever meet in my whole life.”

“It sounds like he’s quite fond of you and treats you very well. So what seems to be the problem?”

In that instance, the tumultuous emotions that have been boiling inside finally spill over and out of his mouth as he says in a hopeless cry, “The problem is that I confessed to him, but he didn’t think I was being serious at all!” 

Mr. Yoon takes a minute to gather his thoughts. He swirls the straw in his glass around as he says with a calm demeanor, “As your editor, I have no say in these types of matters.”

Jisung feels his heart sink rock bottom in his chest. He woefully accepts now that all hope is lost until Mr. Yoon continues, “But as your peer, I would say that you should just prove your feelings for him in the best way you know how.” 

“The best way I know how? What does that--” Jisung sharply gasps as he leaps up from his seat and slams his hands on the table. “I’ve got it!”

Mr. Yoon graces him with a smile. “I have faith in you, as always, Han-nim.”

Racing back to the apartment, rejuvenated and wholly determined, Jisung has a singular goal in mind: _It’s time for the final phase._

***

Sheltered away in his bedroom again for the rest of Sunday, although this time in great preparation for what he has in store, he emerges from his tomb on Monday with an unyielding resolve. 

“I’m gonna send you an original story that I’m submitting for a magazine. Can you do the color correction for me? I know that it’s last minute, but I need to finish these script revisions that are pretty urgent.”

“Sure, no problem.” Minho taps into the file and hums. “Oh, it’s called _Take Me Seriously!!_ and from the previews it looks like it’s a slice-of-life genre. Whoa, you even did the typesetting for it already too.”

Jisung swiftly nods. “Yup, yup. I just need you to render the shadows and highlights. Thanks!” 

Busying himself with his own work, his fingers twitch in anxious anticipation as he tragically tries to concentrate on his own tasks. He’s reading a message from a fellow manhwa author from another company in regards to a joint project when Minho makes an inquisitive noise. “Hey, don’t you think that these characters kinda look like us?”

“Hmm? What was that you said?”

“I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been only working on the cast from _Sunshine_ for the past six months, but doesn’t the fluffy hair that ‘Hannie’ has look a lot like yours? Also, this other character ‘Lee Know’ has the same earrings and pointy eyebrows like me -- and is that the same gray sweatshirt that I have in my own closet?”

Jisung chooses not to respond, stealthily hiding behind his computer monitor instead so that Minho can’t see the giant beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He pretends to be doing something other than the erratic keyboard smashing that he’s disguising as intense email crafting. 

Minho keeps trailing on, “The characters’ apartment layout looks like yours too. There’s the philodendron that’s exactly like the one I bought from the gardening store this weekend, that flannel print on the couch, the rug…” 

There’s a short pause in his observations and soon, the rapid-fire clicks of a computer mouse are the only sounds that can be heard in the studio.

Jisung’s hands are frozen, hovering over the keyboard motionless as his palms also start to sweat. He shuts his eyes and waits for the universe to implode around him.

“Ji...” a wavering voice calls out to him. “Can you come over here for a sec?”

“Um, what is it?”

“It’s -- Hey, Ji. Jisung. Can you look at me? Please?”

He reluctantly obeys to see a pair of piercing eyes targeted dead set straight at him from across the desk. 

“When Hannie confesses to Lee Know that he likes him and that he really means it,” Minho says utter so carefully. “Is this supposed to be you telling me that you like me?”

The world halts to a stop. Jisung’s shallow breathing fills his ears. He clenches his hands into tight fists and swallows down his fear as he puts on a brave face. 

“And?” he says with his chin held up high and a daring expression on his face. “What of it?”

Minho simply blinks. “Because you literally featured us as characters in a comic that you drew voluntarily on your own free time and made me color correct it in order to confess your real life feelings to me, that’s why.”

“Ah.” Jisung feels a painful blush burning across his cheeks as he says hesitantly, “So did it work?”

Shifting his gaze to momentarily refer to something on the screen, Minho looks back at him with the corner of his mouth raised in a smirk. “If there was an epilogue to this, I would’ve answered that I liked you a lot too and we’d be definitely making out after Page 19.”

“Oh, thank god.” 

There isn’t enough time to think before they’re rushing towards each other and latching onto everywhere that they can reach -- with Minho’s hand clumsily slipped under the thin cotton of Jisung’s loose shirt while Jisung has his fingers messily wound up in the soft waves of Minho’s hair. Jisung feels his back hit the wall and a thigh slotted between his own, and a burst of stars cloud his vision when a pair of lips touch his neck.

His brain is muddled and all that he can register are the breathy sounds of their voices mingling when he stammers out, “W-wait we have to stop.”

The mouth on him instantly retreats and Minho says with a tinge of worry, “What is it?”

Their heads are tipped so close together that Jisung can’t help but feel embarrassed as he whispers faintly, “Since I-I’ve never done it before, I don’t… I don’t have any protection stuff at home.”

The room falls dead silent for a beat before Minho throws his head back and howls. Pulling a clueless Jisung into a tighter embrace, he laughs affectionately into his ear. “We don’t have to go all the way like that. There are tons of other things that we can do.”

He’s certainly right about that and so, they spend the next thirty minutes blissfully enjoying themselves with much fervor and enthusiasm, having places being caressed in ways that make their bodies melt. 

That is, until Minho abruptly remembers that there is a very serious deadline that they have to meet for the art book and total chaos ensues as they scramble to put on their clothes and clean themselves up so that they can get right back to work. 

As they frantically swap files and feel a mutual sense of dread wash over them that it’ll probably be another one of those sleepless nights, Jisung takes a peek at Minho from over his mountain of papers that he’s currently buried in. “Thanks. For everything… You know?”

“Yeah,” Minho says as he gives him a dazzling grin. “I know.”

*** 

After all is done to make the final stretch by Tuesday morning, they successfully manage to pull through and finish their work with a flourish. They celebrate their great accomplishment by trying out all of the fun bedroom activities that puts Jisung’s years of meticulous studies on anatomy and pose references to good use.

“When did you start liking me anyways?” Jisung asks as he pokes at his boyfriend’s bare chest. They’re sprawled out on top of the sheets, satisfied and content with their arms and legs tangled together after exhausting themselves already at midday.

Minho hums. “I’m not really sure, to be honest. I don’t think I realized how I felt myself until you confessed to me. At that point, I didn’t even have to question it -- it was just that easy to say.” 

Smiling at one another, they share a chaste and sleepy kiss before flopping back down on the mattress to doze off for the rest of the afternoon when Jisung’s phone begins to ring.

Propping himself up on his elbow, Jisung blearily rubs at his eyes and answers it a bit groggily. “Hello?”

“Hello, Han-nim. I apologize for bothering you,” Mr. Yoon says. “It seems that you may be preoccupied right now.”

“No, no -- It’s fine! Is there a problem?” 

“I believe that there was a mix up with your art book entry.”

“A mix up?" His brows knit in confusion. "But how--”

“Although I appreciate the fact that you were able to communicate and fulfill the feelings that you've harbored towards your assistant, I’m unsure if this comic was what you were intending to show to the general public.”

Mr. Yoon clears his throat and carries on in nonchalance, “Of course, I’m not against this decision. It would be a big hit and sell well at comic conventions due to the uniquely personal quality of its content. Perhaps being an exhibitor at Comiket to market the story will happen much sooner than you’d think in the near future. We can also arrange a guest invite for Mr. Lee once the time comes, if you’d like.”

The phone drops onto the ground with a clatter against the hardwood floors. Minho, startled by the loud noise, also sits up in bed thoroughly awake now. He places a gentle hand on Jisung’s hip and looks at him with a face full of concern. “What’s wrong?”

Jisung simply stares back. “I think my editor just congratulated us for finally having sex.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alternative fic title: sweet young idiot lovers vs dowoon’s capitalist agenda
> 
> this is the first time in a long while where i wasn’t overthinking everything and was just going at my own pace (im currently watching run with the wind and the anime inspires me a lot in regards to how i view my works & creating ;;;;;) i was really calm and relaxed the whole time, and im super happy and grateful about experiencing these new feelings with writing ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و
> 
> also i wasn't inspired by or imagining any song in particular while writing this fic but ??? i think my brain was subconsciously thinking about the lyrics from 'would you be so kind ' by dodie, specifically at the bridge with the chorus of voices lamenting "oh do me a favor (can your heart rate rise a little)"
> 
> y'all..... what ppl say about how anything and everything that you consume influences you, whether you're aware of it or not, is so true.................. 
> 
> anyways thanks for hanging out with me and journeying through this silly au till the end !! ☆彡


End file.
